Universal feed cover plate for sewing machines



April 22, 1952 J. P. ENOS 2,593,864

UNIVERSAL FEED COVER PLATE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Aug. 26, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 J5 afgiumfgm 11V VENT 01?. John P Enos ATTORNEY WITNESS A ril 22, 1952 J. P. ENOS' 2,593,864

UNIVERSAL FEED COVER PLATE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Aug. 26. 1949 2 smETs-sHEEm INVENTOR. John PEnos ATTORNEY WITNESS Patented Apr. 22, 1952 UNIVERSAL FEED COVER PLATE FOR SEWING MACHINES John P. Enos, Union, N. .L, assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application August 26, 1949, Serial No. 112,442

Claims. 1

This invention relates to feed cover-plates for sewing machines such as are used to hold workpieces out of contact with the feed-dog when using conventional sewing machines to perform darning, embroidering, hemstitching and similar operations.

fhe invention has a primary object to provide a feed cover-plate which is universal to the extent that it is adaptable to various types of famsewing machines such, for example, as Singer Classes 15, 66, 127, 128, 201 and 221 machines.

Another object of this invention is to provide a universal feed cover-plateadapted to be maintained in operative position by screws threaded into attachment-securing holes Which are commonly provided in the cloth-plate of each of the above mentioned machines.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby, will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical sectional View of a portion of a Singer Class 221 sewing machine having the improved feed cover-plate applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the improved feed coverplate and a portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4.- is a bottom view of the improved feed cover-plate shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of a Singer Class 12, machine showing the improved universal feed cover-plate attached thereto.

Fig. 6 is a left end view of the portion of the machine shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a left end view of a portion of a Singer Class machine showing the present improved feed cover-plate attached thereto.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, and first to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the invention is disclosed as embodied in a feed cover-plate as adapted for use in a Singer Class 221 sewing machine; This machine differs somewhat from the other machines disclosed in this application in that the throat-plate of the machine carries spaced blocks and cushioning springs which engage the opposite sides of an upstanding finger on the bobbin-case holder to prevent rotation of the holder and thereby the bobbin-case therein.

When the present feed cover-plate is used in conjunction with a hemstitching attachment having a piercer which penetrates the work, to separate the threads thereof, it is necessary that the usual throat-plate be removed from the machine, otherwise the piercer would contact the upper face of the throat-plate. This would prevent the piercer from performing its intended function and would damage the parts.

The throat-plate of the Class 221 machine carries the rotation restraining elements for the bobbin-case holder, therefore, removal of the throat-plate of that machine necessitates the provision of other means to prevent rotation of the bobbin-case holder. As illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, this is effected by providing similar rotation restraining means on the under side of the improved feed cover-plate.

Inasmuch as the other machines illustrated in this application either do not require rotation restraining means or have rotation restraining means which are independent of the throatplates of the machines and therefore are not effected by removal of the throat-plates, there is no need to apply such rotation restraining means on the feed cover-plate for use on those machines and the same may be removed or omitted.

In Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the improved feed cover-plate is disclosed as embodied in a Singer Class 221 machine having aframe including a work-supporting plate 1, four-motioned feeding mechanism including a feed-bar 2, a feed-dog 3 carried thereby, feed-lift mechanism 4 and feed drive mechanism 5. The work-supportin plate is formed in its upper surface with an aperture 6 adapted to receive a throat-plate (not shown) having a needle-hole and slots through which the teeth of the feed-dog 3 normally operate when doing plain sewing.

The machine also includes stitch-forming mechanism comprising a reciprocating threadcarrying needle I and a cooperatin rotary looptaker 8. The loop-taker carries a nonrotatable bobbin-case holder 9 carrying a bobbin case IE! which carries a mass of lower thread which is concatenated with loops of the needle thread in the formation of stitches. The bobbin-case holder is provided with an upstanding finger f which is adapted to engage spaced stops, hereinafter described, to prevent rotation of the holder and the bobbin case secured therein.

This universal feed cover-plate includes a supporting base H having an offset slotted arm l2 adapted to be adjustably secured upon the upper surface of the work-supporting plate I by screws 13 threaded into the tapped holes I4 commonly provided for locating and securing various forms of attachments to the work plate 1. The feed cover-plate also includes a raised central portion or plate 15 formed with a needle hole l5 and a clearance aperture I! for the passage of the work piercer of a hemstitching attachment. At its underside the plate I5 has secured to it a sheet metal member 18 carrying a vertically disposed tubular portion [9 vertically aligned with the needle hole It and which serves to guide and protect the needle.

With the feed cover-plate affixed to the machine as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the plate l5 overlies the feed-dog 3 and is spaced sufficiently thereabove to permit the feed-dog to have its usual motions without engaging the under side of the plate I5. Thus the plate i5 holds a workpiece W above and out of contact with the feeddog, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and permits the work-piece to be shifted by hand or by any suitable attachment, wholly inde pendently of the feeding mechanism.

When used on the singer Class 221 machine the improved feed cover-plate is also provided with a bridge member 26 which is secured to the opposite sides of the base H, adjacent the left side thereof (Fig. 2) by screws 21. To this bridge member there is secured, by screws 22, a member 23 supporting spaced blocks 24 which carry cushionin springs 25 between which lies the upper end of the finger j which extends upwardly from the bobbin-case holder 9.

The member 23, blocks 24 and springs 25 correspond to like members normally carried by the throat-plate of Singer Class 221 machines.

This universal feed cover-plate also is provided with a cut-out portion 26 which is normally closed by a plate 27 pivoted on a screw 28 to the base II. The plate 2'! has a raised portion 29 to facilitate turning of the plate about its pivot. The cut-out and its closure plate perform no function when the cover-plate is used on the above mentioned Singer Classes 15, 66, 201 and 221 machines but it does perform a function when used on the Classes 127 and 128 machines as hereinafter will be described.

F'ig. 5 discloses the improved feed cover-plate applied to a Singer Class 127 machine. This machine includes a work-supporting plate 36 recessed at 31 to receive a throat-plate (not shown) provided with a needle hole for a thread-carrying needle l and slots through which operate the teeth of a feed-dog 32 forming a part of a four-motioned work-feeding mechanism designated generally as 33.

The Singer Class 127 machine is of the vibrating shuttle type and includes a shuttle-carrier 34 secured at 35 to one arm of a two-armed lever 36 fulcrumed on a stud 31 carried by the machine frame. The other arm of the lever 35 is pivotally connected to a reciprocating link 38. The shuttle-carrier 34 carries a shuttle 39 which, in turn, carries a bobbin of under thread which is concatenated with the needle thread in the formation of lock stitches. The work-supporting plate 30 also is formed, at the right hand side of the needle, with transverse slideways 40, 4! within which is normally fitted slide plates 42 and 43, respectively, the latter being shown, in Fig.

5, as partly retracted to give access to the shuttle for removal and replacement of the bobbin. It will be noted in Fig. 5 that the rear end of the shuttle is located beneath the cut-out portion 25 in the cover-plate i5 and that the closure plate .51 has been turned aside to givefree access to the shuttle. This construction permits the shuttle to be removed from its carrier without removing the feed cover-plate from the machine, which otherwise would not be possible. It will be noted from Figs. 5 and 6, that when the improved feed cover-plate is used on the Singer Class 127 machines the bridge member 20, the member 23, blocks 2d and springs 25, shown in Figs. 1 to 4, are omitted as there is no bobbin case which is required to be held against rotation. Insofar as the parts shown in Figs. 5* and 6 are concerned the Singer Class 127 machines are identical with the Singer Class 123 machines.

As hereinbefore stated, certain ones of the above mentioned sewing machines have rotation restraining means for the bobbin-holder which are wholly independent of the throat-plate of the machines. A portion of one such machine is shown in Fig. 7 which is a left end view of a portion of a Singer Class 15 machine fitted with the present improved feed cover-plate. This machine is of the oscillating shuttle type and includes a frame affording a work-supporting plate =14 and a shuttle race :35. The machine also includes a feed-dog 3, an oscillating shuttle driver 45 and a shuttle 47 carrying a bobbin-case 68 which houses the usual bobbin of lower thread, not shown. The bobbin-case 4c is required to be held against oscillation with the shuttle and for that purpose the machine frame has secured to it a bobbin-case rotation restraining bar 49 formed with a notch 59 into which extends the free end of a finger lS carried by the bobbincase 38. Thus when the improved universal feed cover-plate is used on the Class 1-5 machines the members 23, 23, 2d and 25, shown in Figs. 1 to on the Class 221 machine, may be removed or omitted. The swinging cover-plate 21, which as above stated is used on the Class 127 machines, is retained but not used.

The Singer Classes 66 and 201 machines, not illustrated, also have bobbin-case restraining means built therein and therefore when this feed cover-plate is used in those machines the members 22, 23, 24 and 25 may be omitted.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that this invention has provided a feed cover-plate which may be used, to advantage, with a considerable number of unlike sewing machines to maintain the work out of contact with the usual fourmotioned feed-dogs of the machines, to permit the machines to be used for operations for which they originally were not adapted.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

1. A feed cover-plate for a sewing machine having a work-supporting plate, comprising a supporting base having an offset slotted arm constructed and arranged to be secured to said worksupporting plate; a raised central portion provided with a needle-hole, a clearance aperture for a work piercer, and a cutout arranged to give access to parts beneath said cover-plate; a closure plate pivotally mounted on said supporting base and normally closing said cutout; and bobbincase rotation restraining means detachably secured to said cover-plate. V

2. A feed cover-plate for a sewing machine having a work-supporting plate provided with a pair of threaded holes adapted to receive attachment securing screws, comprising a supporting base provided with a slot constructed and arranged to have attachment screws passed therethrough and threaded into the threaded holes in said worksupporting plate; a raised central portion provided with a needle-hole and a clearance aperture for a work piercer; and bobbin-case rotation restraining means detachably secured to said coverplate.

3. A feed cover-plate for a sewing machine having a work-supporting plate, comprising a base member constructed and arranged to be secured to said work-supporting plate; a raised central portion integral with said base member and provided with a needle-hole; a bridge member removably secured to said base member and underlying a portion of said raised central portion; and a bobbin-case rotation restraining member carried by said bridge member.

4. A universal feed cover-plate constructed and arranged to be applied to a plurality of unlike sewing machines each having a reciprocating needle and a work-supporting plate provided with a threaded hole designed to receive an attachment securing screw, comprising a base member having a raised central portion provided with a needlehole, said base member also having an aperture for receiving a screw threaded into said threaded hole to secure said base member to any one of said work-supporting plates with its needle-hole in vertical alignment with the machine needle, a cutout formed in said base member and its raised central portion to give, in certain machines, access to movable sewing machine parts therebeneath; a closure plate pivoted on said base member and normally closing said cutout; and a bobbin-case rotation restraining means removably secured to said base member for cooperation with the bobbin-case of certain ones of said sewing 6 machines and removable from said base member when the feed cover-plate is used on machines in which said bobbin-case rotation restraining :means is not required,

5. A feed cover-plate for a sewing machine having a work-supporting plate, a work-feeding device, a reciprocating thread-carrying needle and a loop-taking device cooperating with said needle in the formation of stitches, comprising a fiat and substantially U-shaped supporting base having a cutout therein; a slotted arm projiecting outwardly from and in a coplanar relation with said supporting base for removable attachment to said work-supporting plate; an inverted panshaped raised portion carried by the inner edge portion of said U-shaped supporting base and designed to overlie said work-feeding device and a portion of said loop-taking device, said raised portion being provided at its center with a needle hole and at its edge portion with a cutout communicating directly with the base cutout so as to give access to said loop-taking device; and a closure plate pivotally mounted upon said supporting base and normally closing said two communicating cutouts.

JOHN P. ENOS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

